And, if the grass dies from something outside of your control (disease, drought, etc), do you really want to have your security deposit taken to replace the lawn? 

Disease?

INDEMNIFICATION: The Owner shall indemnify and hold harmless  Property Managemer  from and against claims, demands, losses, costs, damages, actions, suits, or proceedings (hereinafter called "claims"), by third parties that arise out of, or are attributable to, the Property Manager's performance of the agreement provided such claims are:1. attributable to bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death, or to injury to or destruction oftangible property, and;2. caused by negligent acts or omissions of the Property Manager or anyone for whose acts the Property Manager may be liable.

But since it is a slow disease and can take years to be noticed, the statue of limitations clock starts when the damage was detected, not at time of exposure.

To be "cured" against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.”

Hitler once called it his Bible.Redlining, blockbustering, sterilization, disease trials, local voter disenfranchisement, practical school resegregation, appraisal inequality, JUST RISE ABOVE and it will be all OK.

Where this can get tricky or take a turn is if the tree was noticeably diseased and the owner did nothing about it; or even worse, the owner was notified to please address noticeable issues with the tree, and they never did. 

It is horrible, but that is what this disease does to people.My aunt has dementia.

Seems the disease of so-cal is spreading to alot of markets so its time to get creative- i ordered the book so we shall see what happens.

And since this will be a joint venture, be sure everything about the deal is documented in writing as far as what is the plan to handle the "7 D's" of any partnership (Divorce, Disability, Disinterest, Death, Dissolution, Dementia/Disease, and Default).